Credo Academy Credo Academy

I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121: 1-2

 

Our Instructors at Credo

Annette Budd

Above all, Annette Budd is head-over-heels in love with Jesus. She is also the mother of six wonderful children and granny to eight adorable, sweet grandchildren. She's been homeschooling since 1991 and is happy to say all but her youngest have graduated. She and her husband, Gary, have owned and operated Good Hands Carpet Care since 1997. She is very active in many different kinds of ministry and in local politics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Carroll

Writer, lecturer and artist Michael Carroll has over thirty books in print. He is a science journalist, novelist, and—collaborating with his wife—children’s author. His fourth grown-up novel, a science adventure called Plato's Labyrinth: Dinosaurs, Ancient Greeks and Time Travelers, was released in January of 2022 through Springer, and his latest non-fiction science book, Smithsonian’s Envisioning Exoplanets, came out in November of 2021. Carroll is a Fellow and founding member of the International Association for the Astronomical Arts, and recipient of the Lucien Rudaux award for lifetime achievement in the astronomical arts. One of his paintings is on the surface of Mars—in digital form—aboard the Phoenix lander. He likes orange marshmallow circus peanuts, which have undoubtedly been outlawed by the nutritional councils of several countries.

 

 

 

Candace Dixon

Candace has been teaching math and science for many years in the Denver area; serving in public, Catholic, and Christian schools as well as various homeschool organizations. She also taught Human Anatomy and Physiology at Arapahoe Community College for almost ten years. About thirty years ago the Lord instilled in her a passion for Creation Science. She has studied at the Institute for Creation Research (when it was near San Diego, CA) and is an active member of Rocky Mountain Creation Fellowship. When their time permits, she and her husband also attend the monthly meetings of Denver Society of Creation, Pikes Peak Creation Fellowship, and Northeast Colorado Creation Group.

God’s creation is an awesome and magnificent reflection of who He is. Candace desires her students to learn to love science as they study it from a Christian world view. Students need to learn how to distinguish “good science” from “bad science”. We all must learn the truth in order to discern the lies of the world regarding scientific origins, issues of life and death, and the supposed advances of science (i.e. stem cells and genetic engineering). We must decide whether to rely on God’s Word or human reasoning.

Candace and her husband Ken have been married over 50 years and have 2 grown sons. Their elder son and his wife live in Montrose, CO and have a grown son and twelve year old daughter. Their younger son and his wife are missionaries in Costa Rica and have 2 daughters (ages 18 and 12) and one son (age 16). Grandchildren are truly a blessing and delight from the Lord.

 

 

 

Allison Forney

Allison Forney is a graduate of Credo Academy which she attended as a student for ten years. She enjoys being involved in the Credo community and looks forward to walking alongside students while teaching. Allison has a passion for dance and especially loves teaching different styles to her students. She is currently teaching at CMA School of Dance, and Joyful Soles Dance studio. Her love for dance started at the age of three and she has taken a variety of styles over the years. Allison believes that dance is a form of creative expression and can also be used as a way to worship the Lord. She is one of four children and lives with her family in the foothills of Sedalia. Other than dancing Allison enjoys spending time with her friends and family, playing with her two Bernese-mountain dogs, the outdoors, reading, baking, and working out. Allison finds that through teaching dance she is able to see students express themselves and loves to encourage them to grow in their relationships with Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Forney

Sarah Forney and her family have been part the Credo community for many years. She has enjoyed serving as a volunteer in both weekly roles, and in leadership. As a homeschool mom and former schoolteacher, she loves helping to support children through teaching while cultivating a love of learning. Her educational background includes a B.S. in Kinesiology, and an M.A. in Elementary Education. She loves homeschooling and is at 18 years and counting. Sarah lives in the foothills of Sedalia with her husband Steve of 28 years and their 4 children. At home, she raises Bernese Mountain dog puppies, loves cooking, and enjoying the outdoors through gardening, hiking, and camping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Forney

Steve Forney is a homeschool dad of 4 kids, married to Sarah, and a professional in the Information Technology field. He has a Business degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a graduate degree from Denver Seminary. He lives in the Colorado foothills with his family on 5 acres with chickens, ducks, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and a garden. One of Steve's great pleasures as a teacher is seeing his students face real life examples and use their newly learned skills to deliver a solution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Langewisch

Mary Langewisch has been an artist all her life. Born and raised in Colorado, she is inspired by the light, colors, and textures in nature. To her, art is meant to be beautiful and leave an impression in your mind, much like nature does. Fragile Glory Impressions (FGI) is the name of her Art Studio where she teaches art workshops, paints, and offers online art instruction. FGI's missions is to empower you to reach your artistic potential and inspiring you to follow your artistic voice. Her mission as an artist is to create beauty and also to teach it to others. As a Homeschool and Credo Graduate herself, Mary has loved teaching art at Credo for the past 17 years. She continues to run her art business and is a wife and a mother. You can find Mary and all things FGI at FragileGloryImpressions.com and on social media.

 

 

 

 

 

Marla Lindsay

Marla Lindsay earned a BA degree in English from the University of Kansas and a MA degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. For over a decade she taught English/Language Arts to students in the standard, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate programs at a large public high school in Prairie Village, Kansas. Since her college days, Marla has taught in a variety of Christian education capacities and has also coached competitive youth soccer teams. Marla is driven by a passion for learning and teaching, especially literature and written expression. She loves to engage students in reading, writing, and critical thinking. She strives to enhance students’ analytical skills, personal voice, and written precision so they may tackle future endeavors with confidence. While she delights in teaching, faith and family are Marla’s first loves. Her husband and their two children, ages 11 and 9, keep life filled with playfulness, challenge, and constant activity. Marla also enjoys playing soccer, skiing/snow boarding, traveling, reading, and studying God’s Word. She is inspired by Romans 12:11: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonya Lucia

Sonya Lucia has been a homeschool mom since her first child entered preschool in 2004. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX, and worked as a graphic designer in Christian ministry before marrying an Air Force officer and starting a family. She’s taught elementary science, literature and art, as well as middle school literature and art history to homeschoolers in co-ops in Colorado Springs and Alabama. Sonya enjoys introducing students to classic literature, and works to creatively engage students in both discussion and projects to enhance learning. Her oldest graduated from college in Spring of 2023; one daughter is in college, and her other three children are students at Credo. This will be her fourth year teaching at Credo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Maxwell

Acoustic guitarist and songwriter Bill Maxwell started playing the guitar at eight years old. After seeing two friends win a talent competition at school, the idea of playing guitar captured his imagination. His dad taught him a few chords to “She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round The Mountain”, and the journey began. Bill organized and played in local bands and high school jazz ensembles and combos as a teenager. By the mid-seventies, he had experienced the local club scene in Houston as a solo artist and bass player in a contemporary jazz band. In 1978, life and music took on new meaning for Bill. Shortly after moving to Colorado, he believed in Christ as his Savior and Lord. His music and performance goals shifted to include more songwriting and acoustic work in local churches. He led worship with his guitar in numerous public venues, regularly in front of audiences of more than 2,000. Since 1980, Bill has used his guitar to help build music appreciation through teaching, playing, and singing. Today, he performs weekly with acoustic, electric, and bass guitars (playing in front of people is one of the keys to becoming a better musician). Also, his passion for songwriting has allowed him to hear his songs recorded and performed internationally.

Bill has over forty years of guitar playing experience, mixed with twenty years of teaching. Even though music theory concepts are the same for all instruments, its application on a guitar fretboard provides some unique and exciting challenges. Bill believes that the best players are the best students; he’s constantly searching for ways to apply new concepts personally and present these to an aspiring student, regardless of age.

 

 

Amanda Miller

Amanda has been teaching most of her life. She began giving horseback riding lessons and training horses when she was 16 with the assistance of another trainer. By 19 she had several students of her own whom she considered to be “her kids”. She finds joy in watching the “light bulb” come on, whether it is children, horses, dogs, you name it. She consistently volunteers working with youth through 4H, Awana, American Heritage Girls and coaching Volleyball. Her interests include gardening, canning, scrapbooking, horses, growing and hybridizing iris and precept bible studies. She’s been happily married to her husband, Jeremy for 18 years. Since God blessed her to be a mother, she has homeschooled her three girls. Amanda says, “It has its challenges but the joy and satisfaction more than outweighs them. What a privilege to train our children in the way that they should go.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natalie Shafer

Natalie Shafer is a child of our living savior Jesus Christ, a wife of 23 years, and homeschool mom of two amazing young adults. She has a passion for teaching others to study the Word of God and has been involved with leading Precept studies for the last eight years. She loves to watch God at work as someone begins to understand the Word for the first time through their own personal study. She has homeschooled her two children from kindergarten through high school with her youngest set to graduate in 2024. She has taught both of her children to use the Inductive Study method to allow them to “rightly divide the word of truth” and become better at discernment. She has found that this method transferred to all other areas of study as her children became independent learners. Her passion is to see people equipped to discern the Word of God for themselves and be able to utilize the word to grow closer to the Lord.

 

 

 

 

Joan Twedell

Mrs. Joan Twedell is an accomplished pianist and performer. She has played for numerous school musicals and church musical programs. She currently accompanies a large men’s chorale and church choir. Sacred music is her passion, and she shares that passion with her students. She has been teaching private piano lessons to students of all ages for the past forty-eight years. Her love for her teaching is stronger today than it was forty-eight years ago.

Joan is the mother of five adult children and thirteen grandchildren. She enjoys reading and needlework in any spare time that she might have. She is a member of Music Teachers National Association and the Foothills Music Teachers Association. She is an expert at taking the novice to the advanced stages of piano expertise.

 

 

 

Alexandria Vaughan

Alexandria Vaughan is the current voice instructor at Credo since fall 2022. She is using this opportunity to improve her own skills in singing as she teaches others so that she can someday make leading worship her career. Until then, she works as a shift supervisor at Starbucks. She is serving on worship at BRAVE church and hopes to make it a permanent part of her life. Alexandria (Allie) has been professionally trained to vocally preform for seven years now and is sharing what she learned with her students. You can find her hitting the slopes on the week days and hitting a volleyball on the weekends!